Fiber cleaning apparatus



Oct. 29, 1940. G. s. RiPPEY 2,220,025

FIBER CLEANING APPARATUS Filed April 12, 1939 4 Sheefns-Sheet l gicz K24 AT ORNEY Get. 29, 1940.

G. s. RIPPEY FIBER CLEANING APPARATUS Filed April 12, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 a I 4?- Jami 9 ATTORNEY Oct,- 29. 1940- G. s. RlPPEY FIBER CLEANING APPARATUS Filed April 12, 1939 1 SheetsSheet 3 MAI/1M1 ORNEY IFNTOR Oct. 29, 1940. 5 RlPPEY 2,220,025

FIBER CLEANING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 12, 1939 INVENTOR f zQ MN 0-4 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 29, 1940 FIBER CLEANING APPARATUS George S. Bippey, Boston, Mala, auignor to United Fruit Company, Boston, Mass, a corporation of New Jersey Application April 12, 1939, Serial No. 267,427

30 Claim.

other types'of natural vegetable matter; for instance, sisal, ramie, and maguey, and in the treatment of fibers generally of the class which are found in natural leaves or stalks in substantially parallel relation and are commonly referred to as fibro-vascular bundles, each consisting of individual fiber-cells which overlap at their ends to form compositely a fiber of considerable length. One of the well known fibers of this class is "manila fiber, obtained from thestalks of the abaca plant, cultivated extensively in the Philippines. The nature of the abaca plant, and the distribution of fibers therein, is well known to 25 those acquainted'with the industry, and reference is made to the description thereof contained in Bulletin No. 1 of the Fiber Standardization Board of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the Government of the Philippine Islands, entitled The Standard Grades of Abaca, by M. M. Saleeby, Manila, Bureau of Printing, 1930. As thererein fully described, the commercially desirable fibers are found in the leaf sheaths which form the stalk of the plant. 35 The stalk is botanically known as a false stalk," because it comprises, in the fully grown plant, merely a group of overlapping crescent-shaped sheaths laid tightly one upon another over a central core. Each leaf sheath contains the fibers 4 extending substantially parallel to each other longitudinally of the sheath along. its natural exterior section. The remainder of the sheath is made up of fiberless tissue, and other fine fibers of a tensile strength weaker than that required for commercial use, all of which must be separated or stripped from the desired fibers in preparing them for market. This operation is known and referredto herein as the cleaning operation. I

Since the grade of the fiber, and therefore, to a great extent, its value, depends upon the excellence of the cleaning operation, it has been evident that apparatus which could guarantee a uniform and excellent cleaning would be of ines-' timable value to the art. Present day cleaning (Cl. 1H)

operations are not uniformly satisfactory, and the amount of fiber prevalent that is of lower grades entirely because of the poor quality of the cleaning operation is considered unnecessarily high by those interested in the welfare of the industry, 5 and results in proportionately unnecessary higher prices for the best grades.

' One commonly used apparatus for cleaning the fiber of the abaca plant is a fixed block against which a rigid blade is springor weight-pressed. m The exterior section of the leaf sheath (known as a tuxy") is drawn over the block between the block and the blade edge, thus causing a scraping action. Such apparatus is satisfactory in producing excellent grade fiber, if the tuxy is scraped uniformly, but uniform scraping is dependent upon constant adiustment of the apparatus and the skill of the operator. Since the scraping operation is generally done in the field the apparatus is extremely crude, and the required care is the exception rather than the rule. Quantities of fiber which would be excellent grade'if properly cleaned, must be graded, after. cleaning on this type of apparatus, in inferior classes. Additionally, such apparatus requires the preparation of a tuxy, as the apparatus can not successfully handle the full thickness of the sheath.

Another apparatus for cleaning is a mechanical beater. Use of this type of apparatus has the insurmountable drawbacks of tending to rupture the larger fibers by too great pressure, and to' leave the smaller and weaker fibers untouched, passing them along with the desired strong fibers although not properly cleaned. Inclusion of weak fibers in the output, lessening the average fiber strength, is in and of itself undesirable, and when not even properly cleaned, appreciably lowers the quality of the yield.

A primary object of my invention is therefore a higher yield of "excellent grade fiber from pctentially excellent grade fiber sheaths through utilization of apparatus which performs the cleaning operation with uniform excellence.

A further object of my invention is the provision of apparatus which can handle continuously and automatically the full thickness of natural leaf sheaths fed successively thereto.

My invention is directed broadly to apparatus for stripping, celaning, or-separating vegetable fibers of the class described, including mechanism for subjecting the surface of a unit of vegetable matter containing the fibers progressively to the impact of a liquid stream of suchforce that the desired fibers are thoroughly cleaned, and also, if

desired, the smaller, weak, undesired fibers, are

completely stripped or broken away. When using my apparatus, the operation of tuxying, prerequisite to use of the rigid blade scraping type apparatus, is unnecessary since the natural unit thickness can be fed directly to my apparatus which can, if desired, handle an entire leaf sheath in one feed; rupture or other injury to the large fibers, encountered-in mechanical beating apparatus, is entirely avoided; and the apparatus may be so adjusted as to separate weak fibers along with the mass of fiberless tissue from the desired fibers.

Further features and objects of my invention will be apparent from the accompanying description of my apparatus, which is a preferred type of apparatus I use in the practice of the process which is the subject-matter of a patent application filed simultaneously herewith. The apparatus is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my apparatus, showing parts thereof broken off, and showing other parts diagrammatically;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1, with a portion of the casing broken away;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the main portion of the machine with parts broken off and other parts shown diagrammatically and with the main operating wheel shown in a different position than that shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, also with certain parts broken off;

Fig. 5 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of a portion of the apparatus;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the operating wheel in a different position than that shown in either Figs. 1 or 3;

Fig. 7 is a cross section of a detail of the wheel in still a different position;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic illustration of an elevational view of the operating wheel; and

Fig. 9 is a cross section, showing a detail of the construction of certain of the feed mecha-' nism of the apparatus.

My apparatus comprises essentially conveyer mechanism for feeding flattened leaf sheaths to the machine, plus mechanism for operating on the fed material, plus apparatus for supplying fluid, preferably water or other liquid, under pressure to the operating mechanism, plus conveyer mechanism for withdrawing the cleaned fibers.

Preferably, the conveyer mechanism includes a horizontal endless belt conveyer, indicated at A, adapted to receive flattened units of vegetable matter, as strips of leaf sheaths, in horizontal position and, if desired, in continuous edge to edge relationship one after another. The belt conveyer A feeds the material in the direction of the arrow of Fig. 1, so that one end of each unit passes onto an auxiliary conveyer belt C, and so that the other end of each unit, overhanging the belt conveyer A, advances between two endless chains forming frictional retaining feed mechanism indicated generally, at B.

The conveyers B and C advance the material in the same direction and the feed mechanism B grips one end of the strips, so that the strips are carried the length of the machine until they are severed by the action of a transverse cutter at the other end of the machine. The cleaned material is then carried away from the machine approximately 360.

by an endless rope conveyer D, running transversely of the apparatus, which supports the central portions of the cleaned fibers as they are cut, and the gripped butt ends are discharged at the rear of the machine.

These feeling mechanisms will be described more fully hereafter, but it will be seen that the ends of the strips opposite those retained by the feed mechanism B are more or less dragged across the machine, and consequently, as they fall from the auxiliary conveyer belt C, they are supported on a cylindrical surface Ill formed in the frame 8 of the machine, a portion of which surface acts as a battle.

The bafile I0 is co-axial with a main drive shaft I2, mounted for rotary movement in suitable bearings I3 and I4 on the frame 8. It will be understood that the shaft I2 may be coupled at the end shown broken away in Fig. l with any suitable type of driving power not shown.

Fixedly mounted at the inner end of shaft I2 is a wheel E, of somewhat unusual configuration. Referring to Figs. 3, 6 and 7, the wheel E includes a block 2|, the outer surface 22 of which forms a portion of the periphery of the wheel. The block 2| has an inlet 23 and an orifice 24 in surface 22 disposed parallel to the axis of the shaft I2. The walls of the block leading to the orifice 24 are inclined at an angle to the tangential plane of the periphery of the wheel, as shown more in detail in Fig. 7.

Approximately one-half the periphery of wheel E comprises a cylindrical surface 30, which is offset, as shown in Fig. 6, so as to have a spiral configuration along the axis of shaft I2.

The cylindrical surface 30 is braced by a spoke 33, and by a semi-circular plate 34, which extends throughout the other 180 of the wheel.

This wheel E is adapted for rotation adjacent and across the cylindrical baflie I 0, to operate on the material being fed, as it is carried beneath the wheel E and between the wheel E and the bafilelli by the feed mechanism B. To this end, the wheel E is adapted for continuous rotation in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Fig. 3, and away from feed mechanism B during its passage adjacent baflie III.

Because of the small clearance between the orifice 24 and baiiie I0, the wheel E is preferably provided with a feeding guide 35, which spirals not only axially of the shaft, but also radially inwardly thereof, in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Fig. 3, through an arc of This feeding guide is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 8, in front elevation. The spiral guide 35 terminates at its inner end in a rod 36, which extends towards conveyer A, and radially inwardly to a point 31, which is on the axis of the shaft I2, and overlaps the path of conveyer belt A. Point 31 therefore revolves with wheel E, without, however, radial movement. It will be understood that the rod 36 is shown broken off in Fig. 6. The spiral guide 35 aids in directing the leaf sheath downwardly against the baflle I0, prior to the time it reaches the circular path of movement of the orifice 24, by reason of the fact that as the leaf sheath units advance on the conveyer A, their central portions pass below the point 31, and since the wheel E is intended to rotate continuously, the central portions are gradually urged downwardly towards the baflie by rod 36 and by spiral guide 35, as they approach wheel E, and as the perpendicular distance from the guide 35 to a given point on the baflle I0 decreases in normal rotation of the wheel E. Of course, gravity aids in thus directing the units against the bailie I0,'and the guide 85 may be omitted,

but some such guide is helpful in preventing the cutter 40 is positioned substantially at the side of orifice 24, and it cooperates with the baffle It to cut through the fed material longitudinally with each revolution of the wheel E. I g

The block 2| on wheel E has a series of peripherally extending and radially-outstanding parallel teeth 4|, which are positioned Just'following the orifice 24, as indicated by the parallel lines in Fig. 6. These teeth are designed to act as a comb to hold the cleaned portion of the fibers progressively down against the bame I during the traverse of the orifice across the fed material. As shown in Fig. 6, the cylindrical surface or follower Ill extends from a point just following the teeth 4|.

In order to keep. the material from wrapping around or becoming entangled with the shaft I2 after passing from beneath the path of the follower 38, I provide a series of axially extending pins 42, fixed to the plate 84 which act to keep the fibers away from the wheel E until they have passed well beyond its path of rotation.

In order to supply water to the orifice 24, there is shown a conduit system which includes as a part thereof shaft l2, formed hollow for this purpose, as shown in Fig. 6 at 58. The butt end of hollow shaft I 2 is connected with inlet 23 of the block 2| by a pipe and suitable connections indicated at-I, in Figs. 1 and 3, all of which rotate with the wheel E. a

Water is admitted to the hollow shaft l2 through an inlet housing 52 (Fig. 6), provided with suitable stuflingboxes 58, 53, through rathe shaft I2.

Water is supplied under pressure to the inlet housing 52, via the pipe 55, well illustrated in In the drawings I have indicated dja- I Fig. 1. grammatically in Fig. 1 a constant delivery pump 56, which may be used for this purpose.

In order, however, to shut off the water being supplied to the orifice 24 during certain intervals in each revolution of the orifice, I interpose between the pump 56 and the inlet housing 52 a valve contained in a valve housing 51. Such a valve may be of any suitable type, such as an ordinary compression spring valve. Since it has been indicated that a constant delivery pump, as 56, may be used, it is necessary to provide some expedient for accommodating the pump output during the intervals when the valve 51 is closed. Though this'accommodation may be supplied, if

-desired, by diverting the output into a bypass or waste line, I have found it convenient, for purposes of economy, to interpose an accumulator between the pump 58 and the valve 51. In the drawings the accumulator is shown in the form of a pair of air chambers 58, suitably connected at their tops, as shown in Fig. 1, with an air pressure system (not shown) by pipe line 58 and shut ofi valve 68.

The valve 51 is designed for automatic opening and closing. Referring to Fig. 5, the valve is operated by a stem 6!, moved upwardly by the action of a cam 62 mounted on a shaft 68, acting on a cam roller 64, journalled on the stem '6l. Also shown in Fig. 5 are suitable devices'for adiusting the throw of the stem 6i and the compression of the spring 65 in response to the. throw of the stem 6|.

The shaft 68 is mounted on the frame I of the machine in a suitable bearing 66, it being 5 understood that with the cam 82 in the position shown in Fig. 5, the valve 61 is closed. But, as will be hereinafter described, the valve cam mechanism is designed so that it operates to open the valve 51 during that portion of each 10 revolution of wheel E when orifice 24 is moving across bame Ill away from the feed mechanism 3.

g In order to confine the water issuing from the orifice 24 against the baiiie ID, a suitable hood 68 may be mounted opposite the wheel E to direct the water to a waste pipe as it flows-upwardly off baille I8. Reverting to the conveyer mechanisms, the initial conveyer A is a conventional, endless belt conveyer comprising two or more endless belts passing over roller 'IIL'mounted on a shaft 'Il 'journaled in hearings in a bracket I2 on frame 8 and in the frame 8 itself.

The endless belts of conveyer A are shown as two in number and spaced from each other in order to permit the passage of the auxiliary conveyer belt C around the roller 18. This conveyer belt C passes, as shown in Fig. 3 through the hood 68 and frame of the machine to an idler pulley I3, shown in Fig. I mounted on frame 8.

Feed mechanism B comprises two endless link mechanisms, mounted respectively on pulleys 84 and 85, and 86 and 81. As shown in Fig. 9, each link in the upper chain has a V-shaped cross section, and each link in the lower chain has a cooperating V-shaped opening. The links in each chain are connected by pins 88, and as is obvious from Figs. 1 and 2, alternating links of each chain are identical, and are adapted to dovetail with adjacent links when their gripping edges are in a plane, but the individual links are allowed to pass around the pulleys 84, 85, 86 and 81 by forming each link of two parts, a straight link and a gripping link, with the twolinks reversed in adjacent units of each chain.

The chains are mounted on the pulleys 84, 85, 86 and 81, for passage therearound, by reason of circumferential slots in the pulleys to receive the links, and radial slots in the pulleys to receive the pins 88, and the upper chain is supported on its return transverse upon a series of supporting rollers 89.

In order to hold. the links of the two chains in firm gripping relation during their traverse in the direction to advance material, the frame of the machine is provided with a series of fixed rollers I6, one of which is shown in the portion 7 of the frame broken away in Fig. 2. These rollers I6 are idler rollers, positioned immediately beneath the upper traverse of the lower chain. Above each roller I6 is a cooperating roller I1, mounted for vertical sliding movement on a pin I8, and urged in a downward direction by a spring I8. The roller 11 is'positioned so that'it urges the upper chain of the feed mechanism 13 continuously downwardly against the thrust of the roller I6. As indicated by Fig. 2, the rollers fII and I6 are closely spaced throughout the cooperating portions of the paths of the two chains.

Conveyer mechanism D is a simple rope conveyer extending transversely of the machine. I have diagrammatically indicated the conveyer D as comprising six pulleys, suitably mounted in convenient positions. Four of the pulleys are shown in Fig. 1, by references 90, 9|, 92 and 93, and a fifth pulley is shown in Fig. 2, at 94. The sixth pulley is in a position concealed below pulley. 90 in Fig. 1.

In order to drive the conveyors A, B and C, the wheel E, and operate the valve 51, all in timed relation, these mechanisms are all driven from main shaft I2. For this purpose shaft I2 is provided with a gear I00 (Fig. 4), connected by suitable reduction gearing, including gear IN, and worms enclosed in the housing I02, with shaft I03 on which pulley 01 is mounted, to thereby drive the lower endless chain of feed mechanism B.

The upper conveyer chain of feed mechanism B is driven through a shaft I04, on which pulley 85 is mounted, the shaft I04 being geared to the shaft I03 by suitable gears I05 and I06.

Conveyers A and C are driven from feed mechanism B, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, through shaft II, on which roller I0 is mounted. The shaft 'II is geared to a shaft I01, on which pulley 86 is mounted through gears I08, I09 and H0.

The shaft 63 of the valve 51 mechanism is operated from shaft I2 through a gear III meshing with gear I00 on shaft I2.

Conveyer mechanism D may be operated also from the shaft I2 by a belt II2 operating on a pulley I I3 mounted on a shaft I I4,- on which the rope conveyor drive pulley 9| is also mounted.

The construction shown in the drawings has been used for operation with a constant delivery pump 56, capable of transmitting water through the conduit system to orifice 24, under a pressure of 2500 lbs. per square inch. The accumulators are provided with about 500 lbs. per square inch of air pressure and are of such proportion that during the one-half cycle of the machine when valve 51 is closed, the pump will build up water in the chambers to a pressure of approximately 2500 lbs. per square inch.

The orifice 24 is positioned for movement in a circular path having a diameter of approximately 43 inches, and the orifice shown has dimensions of 6 inches in axial length and approximately .010 of an inch in width. The orifice clears baflie l0 by approximately 3% of an inch, and the follower 30 clears the baffle by about inch. Since the fibers run generally between .002 and .010 of an inch in diameter, it will be seen that there is no scraping action by the orifice. The battle is approximately a 5 foot are, so that the length of material cleaned in one rotation is approximately 5 feet in length. The follower 30 is offset 3 inches in 180, and the feed mechanism is geared to shaft I2 in such relation that the feed mechanism B will advance approximately 6 inches for each revolution of the shaft I2. As a result, in successive cycles of the machine, each cycle representing one revolution of the shaft I2, the orifice 24, being 6 inches in length, will pass successive 6 inch lengths of the chains comprising the feed mechanism 13 at the beginning of each cycle. If

' the retaining elements of feed mechanism B grip of the orifice 24 through 180 across the baflle I0 away from the feed mechanism B.

The apparatus shown has been successfully operated with the shaft I2 driven at a constant speed of 40 R. P. M. The chains of feed mechanism B move therefore at the rate of 20 feet per minute, and the conveyer mechanisms A and C are geared for substantially equal speeds of advance.

The shaft 63, which operates the valve 51 operates in synchronism withthe shaft I2, and therefore opens and closes the valve 51 once for each revolution of the wheel E. The cam 62 is so positioned on shaft 63 that the valve will open when the orifice 24 is at a point in its path of movement nearest the feed mechanism B, and permits the valve 51 to be closed by spring 55 substantially a half cycle later or after the wheel E has moved through an arc of 180 and when orifice 24 is at the point in its revolution most remote from the feed mechanism B.

Referring to the construction of orifice 24, as shown in Fig. 7, the walls of the orifice have an inclination which directs the water onto the baffle I0 in a direction away from the feed mechanism B. This angle is what I conveniently describe as an angle of inclination of the water on the baille of approximately 20that is, the walls of the orifice 24 are at an angle of approximately 70 to the perpendicular to the tangential plane of the bafile at a particular point across which the orifice is passing.

Since, with a pressure of 2500 lbs. per square inch, and with an orifice of the dimensions given, the stream of water issuing from the orifice 24 will have a velocity of approximately 600 feet per second, it will be seen that the stream of water acts somewhat as a rigid transverse blade, passing across the strip of material. However, since the hydraulic blade is not actually rigid, its impact plane varies according to the particular configuration of the surface of the material on which it is acting, and therefore, it does not rupture the larger fibers. With the static and velocity head at approximately 2500 lbs. per square inch, and with what has been termed the angle of inclination at 20, the force of impact will be 5000 lbs. per square inch, and the normal component of that force of impact on the strip material will be approximately 1710 lbs. This normal component of the force of impact I find to be perfectly suitable for cleaning abaca leaf sheaths completely by one passage through my apparatus.

Since the static head pressure, the dimensions of the orifice 24, and the angle of inclination of the stream are all variables which may be changed, the particular pressure and dimensions described are merely by way of example. In order, however, to secure suitable cleaning, the normal component of the force of impact on the fed material should be something in excess of approximately 1000 lbs. A suitable range for the velocity head, which can be mentioned, is between 1500 and 3000 lbs. per square inch, and a suitable range for the normal component of the force of impact on the sheath unit is between approximately 1000 lbs. and 2000 lbs. Depending upon the particular pressure used a greater or less amount of the weaker fibers will be broken by the impact and carried away by the water along with other pulpy material.

In operation of my apparatus, after the abaca stalks have been cut down and the leaves and branches removed, I preferably cut the stalk transversely to a predetermined length, and then separate the individual leaf sheath units from each other and from the core of the stalk, if it is a fully grown plant. This separation may be done in accordance with usual methods or in accordance with a centrifugal separation method described and claimed in .an application cop'ending herewith, Serial No. 270,504, filed April 28,

Preferably I then pass each individual leaf sheath unit through a rolling mill, which flattens the unit. A roller mill pressure of about 2000 lbs. is suitable.

The individual units are then laid crosswise and fiat on the conveyer mechanism A, with one end overhanging the edge of the conveyer in position to pass between the converging links of feed mechanism B. Preferably the natural ex- 1 terior hard surface of the units are placed upwardly so as to be presented to the stream of water issuing from the orifice 24. The units may beplaced one after the other in edge to edge relationship and fed to the machine continuously.

As each unit passes over the roller I0 its end is gripped by the frictional retaining feed mechanism B. Its central portion then drops oh the conveyer A and the loose end of the unit is further advanced by the auxiliary conveyer C.

central portion of the strip falls downwardly towards or onto the cylindrical baflle l0,

and as the feed mechanism B advances further, the stripisgradually dragged off conveyer C and ,towards' thpath' of revolution of the wheel E,

guided downwardly into closer proximity to the battle l0 and into a semi-circular contour by the guide 35.

As soon as a portion of the strip reaches the path of rotation of the cutter 40, the cutter, cooperating with the baihe l0, willcut longitudinally ofthe strip-a width upon which the stream directed from the orifice 24 will operate in the same revolution as that during which the cutting takes place, and during that half of the,

cycle when the wheel E is passing through the lower half of its revolution and away from the feed mechanism B and across the baiile l0. By the time the orifice has completed 180 of rotation, the valve 51. will close, cutting off the water the path of rotation of the wheel E until its gripped end reaches the cutter I 20,. shown diagrammatically in Figs. 1 and 4, which may be a rotary cutter, a snipper, or any other suitable device, either independently driven or connected with the main driv/e shaft l2. The cutter operates to sever the cleaned portion of the unit from the end gripped by feed mechanism B. Since the loose end of the unit has been dragged along by the conveyer mechanism B, the cleaned unit, by the time it has reached the cutter I20, is disposed more or less diagonally of the machine, with its central portion draped across the rope conveyer D. Immediately upon severance of the cleaned fibers from the gripped, uncleaned butt end thereof, the fibers are freed so that the rope conveyor ifrictionally carries them towards the back side of the apparatus.

The gripped, uncleaned ends are ejectedfrom the feed mechanism B as the two chains diverge away from each other at the end of the machine.

While thepadvance of feed mechanism B has been described as continuous, it will be understood that in the particular construction described, in which the chains are driven by the pins 88 from pulleys SI and 81, the drive will not be exactly continuous, but will be substantially so.

I claim:

. 1. Apparatus of the class described comprising a frame, a shaft mounted for rotation relative to said frame, a stationary baifle on said frame having a cylindrical surface co-axial with said shaft, a block mounted on said shaft for rotation adjacent said cylindrical surface, an orifice in said block, conduit means leading tosaid orifice and adapted for connection with a supply of fluid under pressure, and frictional retaining means mounted on said frame for movement in a path substantially parallel to the axis of said shaft and adaptedto advance flexible strip material retained thereby between said banle and the rotary path of said block.

2. Apparatus of the class described comprising a frame, a shaft mounted for rotation relative to said frame, a stationary baiile on said frame having a cylindrical surface co-axial with said shaft, a block mounted on. said shaft for rotation adiacent said cylindrical surface, an orifice in said block, conduit means leading to said orifice and adapted for connection with a supply of fluid under pressure, and endless members cooperating as frictional retaining means mounted on said frame for movement during cooperative relation in a path substantially parallel to the axis of said shaft and adapted to advance flexible strip material retained thereby between said baffle and the rotary path of said block.

3. Apparatus of the class described comprising a frame, a shaft mounted on said frame for rotation relative thereto, a stationary baflle on said frame having a cylindrical surface coaxial with said shaft, a block mounted on said shaft for rotation adjacent said cylindrical surface, an orifice in said block, conduit means-leading to'said orifice, and frictional retaining means mounted on said frame for movement in a path substantially parallel to the axis of said shaft to advance flexible strip material -retained thereby between said baflle and the rotary path of said block during rotation of said shaft in a direction to move said block across said baiiie away from said retaining means.

4. Apparatus of the class described comprising a rotatable shaft, a stationary bailie having a cylindrical surface co-axial with said'shaft, a block mounted on said shaft for rotation adjacent said cylindrical surface, an orifice in said block, conduit means leading to said orifice including a hollow shaft, frictional retaining means movable in a path substantially parallel to the axis of said shaft past the path of said block, and power transmission means between said frictional means and said shaft operable to move said frictional means a distance equal to the overall axial width of said orifice in each revolution of said shaft.

5. Apparatus 'of the class described comprising a rotatable shaft, a stationary baille having a cylindrical surface co-axial with said shaft, a block mounted on said shaft for rotation adjacent said cylindrical surface, an orifice in said block,

conduit means leading to said orifice including a hollow shaft, frictional retaining means movable in a path substantially parallel to the axis of said shaft past the path of said block, and power transmission means between said frictional means and said shaft operable to move said frictional means in predetermined timed relation with the rotation of said shaft.

6. Apparatus of the class described comprising 10 a rotatable shaft, a stationary baflle having a cylindrical surface co-axial with said shaft, a block mounted on said shaft for rotation adjacent said cylindrical surface, an orifice in said block, conduit means leading to said orifice, a

1,5 normally closed valve in said conduit controlling fiow of fluid through said conduit to said orifice, frictional retaining means movable in a path substantially parallel to the axis of said shaft and past the path of said block and power transmission means between said frictional means, said valve and said shaft operable to move said frictional means and operate said valve in predetermined timed relation with the rotation of said shaft.

7. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a frame, a bailie, a block mounted on said frame for cyclic movement across said baflle, an orifice in said block, conduit means leading to said orifice, frictional retaining means adapted to anchor an end of flexible strip material, said frictional means being mounted on said frame for movement transverse to the path of movement of said orifice to feed said material between said bafiie and the path of said orifice, and means synchronizing the movement of said frictional means with the movement of said block.

8. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a frame, a baille, a block mounted on said frame for cyclic movement across said baifle, an

orifice in said block in the form of a slit disposed transverse to the direction of movement of said block, conduit means leading to said orifice, frictional retaining means adapted to anchor an end of flexible strip material, said means being mounted on said frame for movement transverse to the path of movement of said orifice to feed said material between said baflle and the path of said orifice, and power transmission means operable to move said frictional means a distance equal to the length of said slit during one cycle in .the movement of said block.

9. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a frame, a baiile, a block mounted on said 1 frame for cyclic movement across said baflle, an orifice in said block in the form of a slit disposed transverse to the direction of movement of said block, conduit means leading to said orifice, endless members cooperating as frictional retaining means to anchor an end of flexible strip material, said endless members being mounted on said frame for movement in cooperation in a direction transverse to the path of movement of said orifice to feed said material between said baflie and the path of said orifice. 5 and power transmission means operable to move said frictional means a distance equal to the overall length of said slit during one cycle in the movement of said block.

10. In apparatus of the class described, a frame, a battle, a block mounted on said frame for cyclic movement across said baiiie, an orifice in said block, conduit means leading to said orifice, valve means in said conduit for controlling flow of fluid through said conduit to said orifice, means for opening and closing said valve, and. ea s I synchronizing the operation of said valve with the relative movement of said block and said baffle.

11. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a frame, a baiile, a, block mounted on said frame for cyclic movement across said bafile, an orifice in said block, conduit means leading to said orifice, valve means in said conduit for controlling flow of fluid through said conduit to said orifice, frictional retaining means adapted to anchor an end of flexible strip material, said frictional means being mounted on said frame for movement transverse to the path of movement of said orifice to feed said material between said baille and the path of said orifice, means to open and close said valve, and means synchronizing the opening and closing of said valve with the relative movement of said block and said baffle to maintain said valve closed during movement of said orifice towards the path of movement of said frictional means.

12. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a frame, a battle, a block mounted on said frame for cyclic movement across said baiile,

an orifice in said block, conduit means leading to said orifice, valve means in said conduit for controlling fiow of fiuid through said conduit to said orifice, frictional retaining means adapted to anchor an end of flexible strip material, said frictional means being mounted on said frame for movement transverse to the path of movementto said orifice to advance said material between said baflie and the path of said orifice, means to open and close said valve, means synchronizing the opening and closing of said valve with the movement of said block across said baflle to maintain said valve closed during movement of said orifice towards the path of movement of said frictional means, and means synchronizing the movement of said frictional means with the movement of said block across said'baffie.

13. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a frame, a balile, a block mounted on said frame for cyclic movement across said baiile, an orifice in said block, conduit means leading to said orifice, frictional retaining means adapted to anchor an end of flexible strip material, said frictional means being mounted on said frame for movement transverse to the path of movement of said orifice to feed said material between said baille and the path of said orifice, means for moving said frictional means in predetermined timed relation with the movement of said block,

and a cutter for severing said strip material transversely adjacent said frictional means after said material has passed the path of said orifice.

14. Apparatus of the class described comprising a frame, a shaft mounted on said frame for rotation relative thereto, a stationary battle on said frame having a cylindrical surface co-axial with said shaft, a block mounted on said shaft for rotation adjacent said cylindrical surface, an orifice in said block, conduit means leading to said orifice, a cutter mounted on said shaft for rotation adjacent said baflie, and frictional retaining means mounted on said frame for movement in a path substantially parallel to the axis of said shaft and adapted to advance flexible strip material retained thereby between said baffle and the rotary paths of said cutter and said block.

15. Apparatus of the class described comprising a frame, a shaft mounted on said frame for rotation relative thereto, a stationary baffle on ammo j 7 said frame having a cylindrical surface co-axial with saidshaft, a block mounted on said shaft for rotation adjacent said cylindrical surface, an

\ orifice in said block, conduit meansieading to mounted on said shaft for rotation adjacent said said orifice, a cutter mounted on said shaft for rotation adjacent said baiiie, frictional retaining means mounted on said frame for movement in a path substantially parallel to'the axis of said shaft and adapted to advance flexible strip material retained thereby between said baile and the rotary paths of said cutter and said block,

and means synchronizing the movement of said frictional means with the rotation of said shaft.

16. In apparatus of the class described a rotatable shaft, a stationary baiile having a cylindrical surface co-axial with said shaft, a rotary element mounted on said shaft, for rotation adjacent said cylindrical surface, said element having a substantially cylindrical peripheral surface extending throughout a predetermined arc, said peripheral surface having a circumferential leading edge spiralling axially of said shaft, an orifice adjacent the leading end of said surface and a conduit including a hollow shaft leading to said orifice.

17. In apparatus of the class described arotatable shaft, a stationary baiiie having a cylindrical.

surface co-axial with said shaft, a element mounted on said shaft for rotation adjacentsaid bafi'ie, said element having a substantially cylindrical peripheral surface extending throughout a predetermined arc, said peripheral surface hav-v a circumferential leading edge spiralling axially of said shaft, a block adjacent one end of said pe-' ripheral surface, an orifice in said block having wall surfaces disposed at an obtuse angle to the tangential planes of said rotary element attheir respective peripheral edges, and a conduit including a hollow shaft leading to said orifice.

18. In apparatus of the class described a rotatable shaft, a stationary baille having a cylindrical surface co-axial with said shaft, a block mounted on said shaft for rotation adjacent said baiile, an

orifice in said block, a conduit including a hollow shaft leading to said orifice, and a cutter mounted on said shaft for rotation adjacent said baffle.

a peripheral surface spiralling radially inwardly,

from said orifice, the peripheral surface of said guide having a circumferential leading edge spiralling axially away from said orifice and terminating in an axiallyextending rod co-axial with said shaft.

20. In apparatus of the class described, a rotat- I able shaft, a stationary baiiie having a cylindrical surface co-axial with said shaft, a rotary element cylindrical surface, an orifice in said element, and a guide mounted on said shaft, said guide having a peripheral surface spiralling radially inwardly from said orifice, the peripheral surface of' said surface co-axial with said shaft, a rotary element mounted on said shaft, an orifice in saidrotary element disposed forv rotation adjacent said cylindrical surface,.a follower-on said elementincluding a substantially cylindrical peripheral surface extending in one circumferential direction from said orifice through a predetermined arc, and a guide mounted on said shaft, said guide having a peripheral surface spiralling radially inwardly from said orifice in the opposite circumferential direction through a predetermined arc, the peripheral surface of said guide having a circumferential leading edge spiralling axially away from said orifice.

23. In apparatus of the-class described, a rotatable shaft, a stationary baiiie having a cylindrical surface co-axial with said shaft, a rotary element mounted on said shaft, an orificein said rotary element disposed for rotation adjacent said cylindrical surface, a follower on said element including a substantially cylindrical peripheral surface extending in one circumferential direction from said orifice through a predetermined arc, and a guide mounted on said shaft, said guidehaving a peripheral surface spiralling radially inwardly from said orifice. in the opposite circumferential direction through a predetermined arc, the peripheral surface of said guide having a circumferential leading edge spiralling axially away from said orifice and terminating in an axially extending rod co-axial with said shaft.

24. In apparatus of the class described, a rotatable shaft, a stationary baflle having a cylindrical surface co-axial with said shaft, a rotary element mounted on said shaft for rotation adjacent said cylindrical surface, an orifice in said rotary element, a follower on said element including asubstantially cylindrical peripheral surface extending in one circumferential direction from said orifice through a predetermined are, said peripheral surface having a circumferential leading edge spiralling axially of said shaft in one axial direction,

and a guide mounted on said shaft, said guide having a. peripheral surface spiralling radially inwardly from said orifice in the opposite circumferential direction through a predetermined arc, the peripheral surface of said guide having a circumferential leading edge spiralling axially away from said orifice in the other axial direction.

a 25. In apparatus of the class described, a rotatable shaft, a rotary element element mounted on said shaft, said element having a substantially cylindrical peripheral surface extending throughout a predetermined are, an axially extending orifice at one end of said surface and a series of radially outstanding peripherally extending parallel teeth disposed intermediate said orifice and said cylindrical surface.

, 26. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a rotatable shaft, a stationary bailie having a cylindrical surface co-axial with said shaft, a block mounted on said shaft for rotation adjacent said cylindrical surface, an orifice in said .block, conduit means leading to said orifice, a normally closed valve in said conduit, controlling flow of fluid through said conduit to said orifice, and valve control means for operating said valve in predetermined timed relation with the rotation of said shaft.

27. Apparatus of the class described comprising a rotatable shaft, a stationary baflie having a cylindrical surface co-axial with said shaft, a block mounted on said shaft for rotation adjacent said cylindrical surface, an orifice in said block, conduit means leading to said orifice, a normally closed valve in said conduit controlling flow of fluid through said conduit to said orifice and valve control means operable to open said valve during passage of said orifice through a predetermined arc of its rotation and to maintain said valve closed during passage of said orifice through the remainder of its path of rotation.

28. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a frame, a baifle, a block mounted on said frame for cyclic movement across said bailie, an orifice in said block, conduit means leading to said orifice, a constant delivery pump for supplying fluid under pressure to said conduit, a

normally closed valve in said conduit controlling flow of fluid through said conduit to said orifice, valve control means operable to open and close said valve in predetermined timed relation with the movement of said orifice and an accumulator in said conduit intermediate said pump and said valve.

29. Apparatus for extracting long vegetable fibers from units of vegetable matter containing a plurality of desired fibers naturally bonded to each other in substantially parallel relation, having, in combination, a frame, a bailie, an hydraulic jet with an elongated narrow orifice disposed opposite said baiiie, conduit means for connecting said jet with a source of high pressure fluid, gripping means adapted to hold one end of a fiber-containing unit in fixed relation thereto, with a portion of said unit disposed between said baiile and said jet, and means for relatively moving said jet and said gripping means in a direction transverse to the length of said orifice, said baille being arranged to support said unit closely adjacent said Jet during said relative movement and to oppose the hydraulic thrust of said jet, whereby the exposed surface of the unit may be subjected progressively and longitudinally of the fibers therein to the hydraulic scraping action of a fluid stream issuing from said jet, with the fibers being maintained in their natural substantially parallel relation at the successive points of impact of the stream on the unit.

30. Apparatus for extracting long vegetable fibers from units of vegetable matter containing a plurality of desired fibers naturally bonded to each other in substantially parallel relation, having, in combination, a frame, a baille, an hydraulic jet with an elongated narrow orifice disposed opposite said baflie, conduit means for connecting said jet with a source of high pressure fluid, gripping means adapted to hold one end of a fiber-containing unit with a portion of said unit disposed between said baflle and said jet,

relative to, said baiiie at the successive points of impact of the stream on the unit.

GEORGE S. RIPPEY. 

